What we claim is:
1. Process for operating an electrical accessory device in a motor vehicle having a vehicle battery and a associate alternator, the electrical accessory device being interfaced to electronic controls, a means for detecting the voltage of the vehicle electrical system, a power supply control unit connected to the electrical accessory device and the vehicle battery, and an auxiliary energy storage device rechargeable by the alternator and is connected to the power supply control unit, the process comprising the steps of:
(a) separating the electrical accessory device from the vehicle battery by means of the power supply control unit, when detected battery voltage has fallen below a given first threshold value for a given first time interval;
(b) connecting the electrical accessory device to the auxiliary power storage device by means of the power supply control unit, and after expiration of a second time interval, disconnecting the electrical accessory device from the auxiliary power storage device;
(c) reconnecting the electrical accessory device to the vehicle battery by means of the power supply control unit, and after expiration of a third time interval, disconnecting the electrical accessory device from the vehicle battery; and
(d) reconnecting the electrical accessory device to the vehicle battery by means of the power supply control unit when the detected voltage of the vehicle electrical system has exceeded a given second threshold value which is greater than the first threshold value for a given fourth time interval,
wherein steps a) to c) are performed in succession and step (d) is given priority over steps (b) and (c).
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the second time interval is predetermined.
3. The process of claim 1, wherein the third time interval is predetermined.
4. The process of claim 2, wherein at least one of the second and third time intervals are set by an operator via remote control.
5. An electrical accessory device system for a motor vehicle having a vehicle battery and an alternator, an electrical interface for an electrical accessory device, a means for detecting the voltage of the vehicle electrical system, and a power supply control unit for connecting the electrical accessory device to the vehicle battery according to detected battery voltage and for disconnecting the same from the battery, comprising:
an auxiliary energy storage device that is adapted to be recharged by the alternator and which is connected to the power supply control unit, the power supply control unit being adapted to electrically connects the auxiliary energy storage device to the electrical accessory device to the vehicle battery based on the detected voltage of the vehicle electrical system and to disconnect the electrical accessory device from the vehicle battery.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the electrical interface is a wireless data transmission device.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the data transmission means is based on a mobile telecommunications standard.
8. The device of claim 5, wherein the electrical interface is a control device for the electrical accessory device.
9. The device of claim 5, wherein the electrical accessory device is an auxiliary heating device.
10. The device of claim 5, wherein the power supply control unit is a common power supply control unit for a plurality of electrical accessory devices and associated electrical interfaces.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A fashion item comprising a connecting element arranged to receive two or more smart beads, wherein the connecting element comprises:
a bead detection module arranged to detect smart beads attached to the connecting element and smart beads attached to a proximate connecting element;
a bead interaction module arranged to autonomously generate interactions between two or more detected smart beads;
a storage element arranged to store data about generated interactions for subsequent use by a software experience to enable a user to view an interaction.
2. The fashion item according to claim 1, further comprising:
a wireless communication module arranged to transmit stored data to a software experience to enable a user to view an interaction.
3. The fashion item according to claim 2, wherein the data transmitted to the software experience by the wireless communication module comprises identifiers of beads attached to the connecting element and details of generated interactions.
4. The fashion item according to claim 1, wherein the bead detection module is further arranged to detect an order or location of the smart beads attached to the connecting element.
5. The fashion item according to claim 1, further comprising two or more smart beads, wherein each bead is arranged to be attached to the connecting element and comprises a storage element arranged to store an identifier for the bead and bead data.
6. The fashion item according to claim 5, wherein the bead data for the bead comprises data about a character, environment or object that the bead represents.
7. The fashion item according to claim 5, wherein a bead further comprises a feedback mechanism and the bead interaction module is further arranged to trigger the feedback mechanism in response to generating an interaction involving the bead.
8. The fashion item according to claim 5, wherein each bead comprises one or more electrical contacts positioned so as to make contact with one or more electrical contacts on the connecting element when attached to the connecting element.
9. The fashion item according to claim 1, wherein the bead interaction module is arranged to select two or more detected beads and generate an interaction between the selected beads, wherein at least one of the selection and the generation is dependent upon bead data stored in a bead.
10. The fashion item according to claim 1, wherein the bead interaction module is further arranged to update the bead data stored in a bead in response to generating an interaction involving the bead.
11. The fashion item according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element comprises a battery and is arranged to supply power to a bead attached to the connecting element.
12. A method comprising:
receiving, at a computing device, data from a fashion item, the fashion item comprising two or more smart beads attached to a connecting element and the data comprising identifiers for the smart beads and details of one or more autonomously generated interactions between smart beads; and
representing, within a graphical user interface of a software experience, at least one of a current state of the fashion item and an interaction between smart beads based on the data received.
13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:
providing an interface within the software experience to enable a user to review different autonomously generated interactions.
14. The method according to claim 12, wherein a smart bead represents a character, environment or object and wherein representing, within a graphical user interface of a software experience, at least one of a current state of the fashion item and an interaction between smart beads based on the data received comprises:
displaying a still image or an animated sequence depicting the characters, environments or objects represented by the beads identified in the data received from the fashion item.
15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:
modifying functionality within the software experience based on the data received from the fashion item.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein modifying functionality within the software experience based on the data received from the fashion item comprises:
enabling functionality within the software experience, wherein the functionality enabled is dependent upon the identifiers for smart beads received.
17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the software experience is an interactive software experience and the method further comprises:
transmitting data to the fashion item, the data being dependent upon user interaction with the interactive software experience.
18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:
detecting, in the connecting element, two or more smart beads attached to the connecting element;
detecting, in the connecting element, one or more smart beads attached a proximate connecting element;
autonomously generating an interaction between two or more detected beads; and
transmitting data about the detected beads andor the interaction to the software experience.
19. A system comprising a fashion item, the fashion item comprising a plurality of smart beads on a connecting element, a smart bead comprising a storage element arranged to store a unique identifier for the bead and bead data and the connecting element comprising:
a bead detection module arranged to collect the identifiers of the plurality of smart beads;
a bead interaction module arranged to autonomously generate an interaction between two or more of the plurality of smart beads; and
a wireless communication module arranged to transmit the identifiers and data about the generated interaction to a software experience to enable a user to view an autonomously generated interaction.
20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising the software experience, the software experience comprising device-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing system, direct the computing system to display a graphical representation of the generated interaction within a graphical user interface.